Starter for engines



Nov. 12, 1929.

F. JERDONE, JR

STARTER FOR ENGINES Filed March 21, 1919 I INVENTOR. Fran c/s deraofie Jr BY 1 f ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 12, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FRANCIS JERIDONE, JR., OF TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNQR TO INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH i CORPORATION, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE STARTER FOR ENGINES Application filed March 21, 1919.

My invention relates to a starter for engines, and has for its object to provide a simple, inexpensive and eflicient driving mechanism arranged to be operatively connected with a suitable source of power, and to cooperate with the engine or other work performing machine to start the same.

Another object of the invention is to provide an engine starter having a driving memher movable into position to start the engine and arranged to be automatically thrown into normal inoperative position when the engine is started, with improved means for controlling the movement of said member from normal to operative position.-

Another object of the invention is to provide a driving mechanism having a driving member for starting an engine, -which is adapted to be automatically thrown into inoperative position when the engine is started,

with improved means for cushioning the return of the driving member to normal position.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means for controlling an engine driving or starting member movable in one direction upon a power driven screw shaft to operative position when the shaft is rotated, and in an opposite direction upon said shaft to inoperative position when the speed of the engine exceeds the speed of the shaft with means for pneumatically checking the speed at which the driving member is returned to normal inoperative position.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a power driven screw having a longitudinally movable driving member for starting an engine with improved means for preventing creeping of the driving member.

'lVith these and other objects in view, the invention tomprises certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully pointed out and claimed, it being understood that the invention is susceptible to various modifications not shown, which will be comprehended by the appended claims.

A structure constituting one embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accom- Serial No. 284,097.

panying drawing forming a part of this specification, in which: A

Figure I is a sectional-elevation of a starter embodying the invention, with the driving member shown in normal inoperative position.

Figure II is a similar View of a slightly modified form of the invention with the driving member shown in driving engagement with the member to be driven.

Figure III is a sectional-elevation of still another modification of the invention with the driving member in engagement with the member to be driven and Figure 1V is a transverse-sectional view taken along the line IV-IV of Figure III.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

Referring to the drawing 10 represents a 7 portion of an electric motor or other power plant having an extended shaft 11 provided with a bearing 12 seated in the hub 13 of the cylinder or casing 14,. which is preferably connected with the motor 10 by means of the bolts 15 extending through the flanges 16 of the casing at the inner end thereof. A fl wheel 17 for driving the crank shaft of an internal combustion engine (not shown) is projected through an opening 18 in the casing 14, the periphery of said fly wheel being tapered or inclined as indicated at 19 to re ceive the correspondingly inclined driving cone 20 threaded upon the screw 21, which is preferably in the form of a sleeve slipped upon the shaft 11 and keyed thereon as indicated at 22 in Figure IV. The motor 10 is provided with a bearing 23 in which the shaft 11 is journaled at the point where it projects from the motor. Mounted in the outer end of the cylinder 14 is a piston 24, which is adapted to move withthe driving member 20 longitudinally upon the screw 21 and which is preferably integrally connected with said driving member although it may be removably connected therewith if desired. The piston 24 is provided with an annular groove 25, in which is mounted a split ring 26, preferably a coil of spring wire which is constantly tending to expand and thereby frictionally engaging the inner wall of the cylinder to prevent idling of the driving member 20 into engagement with the fly wheel 17 when the shaft is driven at a relatively low speed, as when the motor is spinning after the driving member has been returned to normal inoperative position as shown in Figure I. The ring or coil also serves to effect a joint between the .piston and cylinder which is more or less air-tight,

thereby pneumatically cushioning the return of the driving member toward the fly wheel is increased during the approach of the driving member to said fly wheel, thereby preventing at all times the contacting of these members except when the screw is driven by the motor. A shoulder 28 is formed upon the cylinder 14 at the outer end of the tapered portion 27, as shown in Figure I, and serves as a stop for the spring 26 when the driving member 20 and piston 24 thereon are thrown back to normal position by the increased speed of the fly wheel above that of the screw, it being understood that the coil, if spirally formed will yield a certain amount when the driving member is returned to normal position and at the time said coil engages said shoulder, mechanical as well as pneumatic means both serve to yieldingly resist the throw of the driving member to inoperative position. The spring at the outer end of said tapered portion has expanded substantially its full amount and therefore offers little or no resistance to the initial movement of the driving member when moving from normal position. The resistance, however, increases as the drivingmember is moved toward the fly wheel as before stated, though this resistance is not suflicient to prevent movement of the driving member into proper driving position when the shaft and screw are actuated by the motor. In other words, said means is provided only for the purpose of preventing idling of the driving member upon the screw at such times as it is desired to hold it in weighting the driving member at one side to insure its movement longitudinally upon the screw without undue rotation thereon.

The annular groove 25 is preferably made a little wider than the diameter of the spring 26 to permit the driving member 20 and piston 24 to move inwardly a slight amount beforethe spring is engaged, thereby obviating practically all the resistance between the driving member and cylinder during the initial movement of said driving member in the direction of the fly wheel. That portion of the piston to the right of the spring 25 has substantially the same diameter as the inner diameter of the cylinder at the outer end thereof in order to insure a more perfect cushioning of the driving member when the latter is moving rapidly into normal position.

In the operation of this form of the invention when the motor is started, the driving member. 20 is moved longitudinally of the screw and wedged into driving engagement with the fly wheel to rotate the same for the purpose of starting the engine. When the speed of the fly wheel exceeds the speed of the screw the driving member 20 and piston 24 will be thrown back to normal position and in returning will be checked first by the compression of the air in the cylinder and later by the spring 26, when the same contacts with the shoulder 28 of the cylinder, the yielding of the spring being gradual, since the air cushion serves to resist the momentum of the driving member when it is thrown out of engagement with the fly wheel.

The modification shown in Figure II differs very slightly from that shown in Figure I. In this view instead of using a split ring of round wire, I have substituted one of flat material as indicated at 32 which is mounted in a correspondingly shaped annular groove formed in the piston 24. In this instance I prefer to taper the cylinder 14 throughout its entire length which may be done in casting or stamping the cylinder as preferred, the end of the cylinder adjacent the motor being slightly larger than the outer end. If the cylinder is stamped or drawn out it will not be necessary to machine the same on its inner face. In this modification I have omitted the aperture 30 and provided the apertures 33 in the side wall of the cylinder at a point just in the rear of the piston when said driving member is in engagement with the fl wheel. With the apertures 33 located in t is manner the compression of the air in the outer end of the cylinder will not be effective to any great extent to check the return of the driving member to 1 normal position until said apertures have been closed by the piston, after which time there will be no escape of air from the cylinder except that which may leak past the piston ring, which may be constructed insuch a manner as not to aflord an absolute air-tight joint between the piston and cylinder, whereby the desired amount of air may gradually escape from the cylinder to permit the return of'the driving member to normal position. However, in this case if it is found that the resistance of air in the cylinder is too great to permit the proper return of the piston, a small aperture may be provided in the outer end wall of the cylinder to permit the escape of air at a suflicient rate to insure the proper return of the driving member to normal inoperative position. It will be 4 understood further, however, that the resistance to the return of the driving member to normal inoperative position will also be increased a slight amount by the action of the spring 32 for the reason that it yieldingly engages the inner wall of the-cylinder, which resistance will be slightly increased if-the cylinder is tapered in the manner shown in Figure II, althoughthe tapering of this member is not considered absolutely necessary to the success ful operation of the device. In constructing the driving cones shown in Figures I and II, I prefer to make them of relatively softer material than that of the fly wheel 17. Although I prefer to make the driving member of metal, it may be made of any other suitable material found desirable for the purpose. The idea of making this member of a material which is softer somewhat than the material of the fly wheel. is to insure a better gripping of the fly wheel by the drivng cone than would be aflorded by two hard metals of the same material and also to prevent undue wear of the fly wheel, which it would be more gxpensive to replace than the driving mem- The modification shown in Figure III is substantially the same as thatshown in Figure II with the exception that I have provided the driving member 34 with a removable sleeve 35, which may be formed of any suitable material. such as leather, said sleeve being held rigidly upon said cone by means of the flange 36 of a screw cap having a portion 37 threaded into engagement with the inner end of the cone. The flange 36 is made slightly smaller in diameterthan the sleeve at its inner end in order to prevent said flange from contacting with the fly wheel when the driving member is in engagement therewith as shown in this figure.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: I

1. In a driving mechanism, the combination with a member to be driven; a power transmission member normally spaced from said driven member and adapted to me moved into driving engagement therewith; means for moving said transmission member into engagement with the driven member and for automatically returning the transmission member from engagement with the driven member to normal position when the driven member is actuated; andpneumatic cushioning means for checking the return of said transmission member tonormal position.

2. In a driving mechanism, the combination with a member to be driven; a power transmission member normally spaced from the driven member adapted to be moved into driving engagement therewith; means for moving the transmission member into engagement with the driven member and for automatically returning the transmission to normal position when the member to be driven is actuated by separate power means; a piston connected to said power transmission member; and a cylinder in which said piston moves when the power transmission member is returned to normal position.

3. In a driving mechanism, the combination with a shaft to be driven provided with a fly wheel having a tapered periphery, a power driven cone normally spaced from said fly wheel, means adapted to move said power driven cone into driving engagement with said tapered periphery and to automatically throw back the cone to normal'position when the fly wheel is rotated at a predetermined rate of speed, and pneumatic means for cushioning the return of said cone to normal position.

4. In a driving mechanism, the combination with a member to be driven, a power driven cone, means adapted to move said power driven cone when power is applied thereto into driving engagement with said member to be driven, and to automatically move the cone to inoperative position when the speed of the member to be driven exceeds the speed of the cone driving means, and means for pneumatically cushioning said cone when returned to normal position, said means serving to prevent creeping of the cone in the direction of the member to be driven.

5. In a driving mechanism for starting engines, the combination with a rotatable memher for turning the crank shaft of the engine, a rotatable power driven screw, a driving member threaded upon said 'screwhormally held out of engagement with said r0- tatable member, and adapted to be automatically moved into driving engagement therewith upon rotation of said screw, and to be automatically returned to normal position when the speed of the rotatable member exceeds the speed of the screw, and means for pneumatically cushioning the return of said driving member to normal inoperative position.

6. In a driving mechanism for starting engines, the combination with a rotatable member for turning the crank shaft of the enine, a power driven screw, :1 driving mom-- er threaded upon said screw normally out of engagement with said rotatable member,

.the driving member and movable in said cylinder to pneumatically cushion the return of said driving member to normal position.

7. In a driving mechanism for starting engines, the combination with a rotatable member for turning the crank shaft of the engine, a power driven screw, a driving member threaded upon said screw normally out of engagement with said rotatable member, and adapted to be automatically moved into driving engagement therewith upon rotation of said screw, and to be automatically returned to normal position when the speed of the rotatable member exceeds the speed of the screw, a cylinder enclosing said driving member and an annular spring interposed between said driving member and said cylinder said spring being secured to the driving member and adapted to have a frictional relationship with the cylinder.

8. In a driving mechanism for starting engines, the combination with a rotatable member for turning the crank shaft of the engine, a power driven screw, a driving member threaded upon said screw normally out of engagement with said rotatable member, and adapted to be automatically moved 'into driv ing engagement therewith upon rotation-of said screw, and to be automatically returned to normal position when the speed of the rotatable member exceeds the speed of the screw, a cylinder in the path of said driving member having an inclined face, and an annular spring upon said driving member extending into engagementwith said inclined face.

9. In a driving mechanism, the combination with a member to be driven, a power driven member normally spaced therefrom,

-means adapted to move said power driven member into driving engagement with said driven member, said means being adapted automatically to return said driven member to normal position when the member to be driven is actuated at a pre-determined rate of speed, an annular member upon said power driven member having a circumferential groove formed therein, a split ring of spring material in said groove, and a cylinder within which said annular member is adapted to move and upon which said ring is adapted to travel.

adapted automatically to return the power driven'member to normal position when the member to be driven is actuated at a predetermined rate of speed, an annular member upon said power driven member having a circumferential groove formed therein, a split ring of spring material in said groove, and a cylinder within which said annular member is adapted to move, said cylinder being provided with an inclined surface upon which said spring is adapted to travel.

11. In a driving mechanism, the combination with a member to be driven, of a power driven member normally disconnected therefrom, means adapted to move said power driven member into driving engagement therewith, said means being adapted automatically to return the power driven member to normal position when the driven member exceeds a pre-determined rate of speed, said power driven member-being provided with an annular portion having a circumferential groove formed therein, a split ring of spring material mounted in said groove, and a member having an inclined surface upon which said ring is adapted to travel to increasingly resist the movement of said power driven member in one direction.

12. In a driving mechanism, the combina tion with a member 'to be driven, of a power driven member normally spaced therefrom,

means adapted to move said power driven member into driving engagement with the member to be driven, said means being adapted to return automatically the power driven member to normal position when the member to be driven is actuated at a predetermined rate of speed, pneumatic means for checking the return of said power driven member to normal position, and a stop for limiting the movement of said driving mem ber when returning to normal position.

13. In a driving mechanism for starting engines, the combination with a motor driven screw and the fly wheel of an internal com bustion engine, of a driving member having a groove cut on its exterior face, said driving member being threaded upon said screw and adapted to be moved from normal inoperative position into driving engagement with the fly wheel upon rotation of the screw, an annular spring mounted in the groove formed on said driving member, and'a fixed member in the path of said driving member having a tapered surface adapted to have cooperative relationship with said spring. 14. In a driving mechanism for starting engines, the combination with a motor driven screw and the fly wheel of an internal combustion engine, of a driving member threaded 1 upon said screw and adapted to be moved from normal inoperative position into driving engagement with the fly wheel upon rotation of the screw, a spring upon said driving ,member and a fixed member in the path of said driving member having a tapered surface adapted to cooperate with said spring and inclined in a direction to increase the resistance offered to said driving member during movement in the direction of the fly wheel.

15, In a driving mechanism for starting engines, the combination with a motor driven screw and the fly wheel of an internal combustion engine, of a driving member having an annular groove found in a flanged portion thereof, said member being threaded upon said screw and adapted to be moved from normal inoperative position into driving engagement with said fly wheel upon rotation of the screw, a split ring of spring material mounted on the driving member in said annular groove, and a cylinder in the path of said driving member having a tapered portion with which said ring engages, said tapered portion being inclined in a direction to increase the resistance oflered to said driving member during movement in the direction of the fly wheel.

16. In a driving mechanism for starting engines, the combination with the engine fly wheel, said fly wheel being provided with an inclined peripheral face, a motor driven screw at one side of the fly wheel, a weighted cone upon said screw having a removable sleeve adapted to frictionally engage the inclined face of said fly wheel for driving the same upon rotation of said screw, and adapted to disengage said fly wheel when the speed of the latter exceeds the speed of the screw and pneumatic means adapted to restrain variably the disengagement movement I of the cone.

17. In a driving mechanism for starting engines, the combination with the fly wheel of the engine, and a motor driven screw at one side of the fly wheel, of a weighted cone upon the screw, said cone being normally out of engagement with the fly wheel and movable'into driving engagement therewith upon rotation of the screw, and being adapted to return to normal position when the speed of the fly wheel exceeds the speed of the screw, a stationary member positioned adjacent the screw and means carried by and movable with the cone adapted to contact with said stationary member for preventing the idling of the cone into engagement with said fly wheel.

18. In a driving mechanism for starting engines, the combination with the fly wheel of the engine and a motor driven screw at one side of the fly wheel, of a weighted cone upon the screw, a sleeve upon said cone, a screw cap for holding said sleeve upon the cone, said cone being movable upon the screw to cause said sleeve to wedge upon the fly wheel when the screw is rotated, and to dis engage the fly wheel when the speed of the latter exceeds the speed of the screw and pneumatic means adapted to restrain variably the disengagement movement of the cone.

19. In a driving mechanism for starting engines, the combination with the engine fly wheel having an inclined peripheral face, and a power driven screw at one side of the fly wheel, of a weighted cone threaded upon said screw, a removable sleeve upon the cone adaptedwhen the screw is rotated to frictionally engage the inclined face of-the fly wheel, and to disengage said face when the speed of the fly wheel exceeds the speed of the screw, and means for pneumatically cushioning the return of said cone to normal inoperative position.

20. In a driving mechanism for starting engines, the combination with the engine fly wheel, and a power driven screw at one side of the fly wheel, of a driving member for the fly wheel threaded upon said screw, a cylinder closed at one end and provided with an air inlet opening in its wall, and a piston in said cylinder arranged to move with said driving member toward said opening when the driving member is moving in a direction away from the fly wheel.

21. In a driving mechanism, the combination with a member to be driven, of a power driven member normally disconnected therefrom and arranged to move into driving engagement therewith, said power driven memher being automatically returned to normal position when the driven member exceeds a predetermined rate of speed, a tapered member spaced from said power driven member, a spring pressed means interposed between said tapered member and said power driven memher for releasably holding the latter in normal position, said spring pressed means being out of engagement with said power driven member when the latter is in normal position.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature,

FRANCIS JERDONE, JR. 

